Looking at Film from Every Angle

71st Academy Awards (1998): The Ceremony

Nominations Announcement

Nominations Announcement Date: Tuesday, February 9, 1999
Nominations Presenters: Kevin Spacey, Robert Rehme
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Supporting Actor
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Supporting Actress
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Actor
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Actress
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Director
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Original Screenplay
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Adapted Screenplay
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Foreign Language Film
Nominations Morning Category Presentation: Picture

Ceremony Details

Awards Ceremony Date/Time: Sunday, March 21, 1999, 5:30pm
Location: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles
Televised On: ABC
Host: Whoopi Goldberg
Length: 4 hours, 2 minutes
Nielsen Ratings: 28.51 rating
Viewers: 45.63 million

Presenters

President’s Welcoming Remarks: Robert Rehme
Supporting Actor: Kim Basinger
Production Design: Gwyneth Paltrow
Best Picture Introduction: Elizabeth & Shakespeare in Love: Patrick Stewart
Makeup & Hairstyling: Mike Myers
Original Song Introduction: “When You Believe”: Christina Ricci
Live Action Short Film: Brendan Fraser
Animated Short Film: Dave Foley (as Flik), Joe Ranft (as Heimlich)
Supporting Actress: Robin Williams
Sound Editing: Chris Rock
Original Song Introduction: “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”: Liv Tyler
Sound Mixing: Anjelica Huston
Presenter Introduction: John Glenn: Tom Hanks
Introduction: Historical Figures in Cinema montage: John Glenn
Best Picture Introduction: Life Is Beautiful: Sophia Loren
Foreign Language Film: Sophia Loren
Music: Original Musical or Comedy Score: Andy Garcia, Andie McDowell
Introduction: Original Dramatic Score dance number: Geena Davis
Music: Original Drama Score: Geena Davis
Introduction: Frank Sinatra tribute: John Trav
Scientific & Technical Awards: Anne Heche
Film Editing: Jim Carrey
Original Song Introduction: “A Soft Place to Fall”: Renee Zellweger
Irving G. Thalberg Award: Norman Jewison: Nicolas Cage
Visual Effects: Liam Neeson
Introduction: Gene Autry & Roy Rogers tribute: Val Kilmer
Actor: Helen Hunt
Original Song Introduction: “That’ll Do”: Lisa Kudrow
Documentary Short Subject: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon
Documentary Feature: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon
Honorary Award: Elia Kazan: Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese
Costume Design: Whoopi Goldberg
Original Song Introduction: “The Prayer”: Catherine Zeta-Jones
Original Song: Jennifer Lopez
In Memoriam: Annette Bening
Presenter Introduction: Colin Powell: Jack Valenti
Best Picture Introduction: Saving Private Ryan & The Thin Red Line: Colin Powell
Cinematography: Uma Thurman
Actress: Jack Nicholson
Introduction: Stanley Kubrick tribute montage: Steven Spielberg
Writing: Adapted Screenplay: Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin
Writing: Original Screenplay: Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin
Directing: Kevin Costner
Picture: Harrison Ford

Previous Acting & Directing Winners

The tradition of prior acting winners returning the subsequent year to present the opposite-gender category is a long one. Each year, we look to see whether the prior winners returned. There was an intermittent tradition where the prior directing winner returned as well, but this was a rare occurrence.

Actor – Jack Nicholson: Yes
Actress – Helen Hunt: Yes
Supporting Actor – Robin Williams: Yes
Supporting Actress – Kim Basinger: Yes
Directing – James Cameron: No

Song Performances

A Soft Place to Fall: Allison Moorer
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing: Aerosmith
The Prayer: Andre Bocelli, Celine Dion
That’ll Do: Peter Gabriel, Randy Newman
When You Believe: Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston

Original Song Film Performers

Was the song performed at the Oscars by the same individuals who performed it in the film?

A Soft Place to Fall: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Allison Moorer)
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Aerosmith)
The Prayer: Yes (Performed in the Film by: Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli)
That’ll Do: Partial (Peter Gabriel only) (Performed in the Film by: Peter Gabriel, James Watson and The Black Dyke Mills Band)
When You Believe: Partial (Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston only) (Performed in the Film by: Michelle Pfeiffer, Sally Dworsky, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey)

Other Performances

Original Dramatic Score dance number: Joaquín Cortés, Savion Glover, Tai Jiminez, Desmond Richardson, Rasta Thomas

Ceremony Production Staff

Announcer: Randy Thomas
Conductor / Musical Arranger: Bill Conti
Director: Louis J. Horvitz
Producer: Gilbert ‘Gil’ Cates
Writer: Hal Kanter, Buz Kohan, Rita Cash
Writer (Special Material): Bruce Vilanch, Dave Boone, Whoopi Goldberg, Jon Macks, Billy Martin
Production Design: Roy Christopher
Choreography: Debbie Allen

Emmys

Nominations: 7
Wins: 2
Variety Music or Comedy Special: Nominee
Music Direction: Nominee
Lighting Direction for a Drama Series Variety Series Miniseries or Special: Winner
Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming: Winner
Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special: Nominee
Technical Direction Camerawork Video Control for a Miniseries Movie or a Special: Nominee
Choreography: Nominee